Next seasons possible league line-up

[Chris]

Mike Avery, who took over from the late another's excellent website suggests our league could look like this for the 2010/11 campaign:

 

Midlands

 

Arlesey Town

Atherstone Town

Aylesbury

Beaconsfield SYCOB

Bedworth United

Biggleswade Town

Bishops Cleeve

Bromsgrove Rovers

Burnham

Daventry Town

Hemel Hempstead Town

Hitchin Town

Leighton Town

Marlow

North Leigh

Romulus

Rothwell Town

Rugby Town

Slough Town

Stourport Swifts

Sutton Coldfield Town

Woodford United

 

South & West

 

Abingdon Utd

Almondsbury Town

Andover

Bedfont Green

Bideford

Bridgwater Town

Cinderford Town

Clevedon Town

Fleet Town

Frome Town

Gosport Borough

Hungerford Town

Mangotsfield United

Paulton Rovers

Taunton Town

Thatcham Town

Tiverton Town

Totton

Uxbridge

VT

Wimborne Town

 

If anything looks every bit as tough as this year. Hitchin and Burnham will be there or therabouts, Sutton around the play-off's but i'd also imagine Hemel and Aylesbury (Full of ex Aylesbury United players) will be in the running as well. I also think Biggleswade and Arlesey (who hugely underachieved this year) will do well next year as well. For me, like last year the possible Midlands league again looks a lot stronger than the South & West.

Edited May 2, 2010 by Chris

[Tom]

Does make you wonder what would have happened if Slough had stayed in the South & West. I really think Slough could have won that league given that the only really competition for 1st was between Windsor and Totton.

 

Will be quite a few changes from that list with teams folding, getting reprieves and the supposed Non-League restructuring.

 

Having spent a season in the Midlands I think I prefer South & West, overall I think the quality of the grounds in that league are better than in the Midlands.

[Woody SUFC]

Does make you wonder what would have happened if Slough had stayed in the South & West. I really think Slough could have won that league given that the only really competition for 1st was between Windsor and Totton.

 

Whilst i cant comment on how well you would of done i've got to say Windsor and Totton upped the level of play far higher than last season higher than Truro at times! I think the league was actually stronger as a whole this season minus Bracknell. Some sides who performed really well when i saw them play ended up in the lower regions of the league like Andover and AFC Hayes who we only managed to beat 2-1 with two late goals at their place.

 

Having seen Burnham in pre season, not the best place to judge a team, draw 3-3 with Bedfont Green you could say that South West was stronger and Paultons excellent Cup run suggests this also. I doubt many fans saw enough of both leagues to make a proper judgement but i'd wager there isnt too much between them

[Burnham Lad]

Having seen Chris's original post, Mike Aveley's site does have an alternative suggestion which may be considered, on a latitude/ longitude basis which would create a Southern League D1 North and D1 South which would look like this:

 

D1 North:

Almondsbury Town, Aylesbury, Beaconsfield SYCOB, Bedworth United, Bishops Cleeve, Bromsgrove Rovers, Cinderford Town, Daventry Town ,Hemel Hempstead Town, Leighton Town, Marlow, North Leigh, Northwood, Romulus, Rothwell Town, Rugby Town, Slough Town, Stourport Swifts, Sutton Coldfield Town, Woodford United, Yate Town

And D1 South

 

Ashford Town (Mx), Bedfont Green, Bideford, Bognor Regis Town, Bridgwater Town, Burnham, Clevedon Town, Fleet Town, Frome Town, Godalming Town, Gosport Borough, Hungerford Town, Mangotsfield United, Paulton Rovers, Taunton Town, Thatcham Town, Tiverton Town, Totton, Uxbridge, VT, Wimborne Town

I suppose there are always going to be problems over boundaries and the clubs which sit on them, but this could be yet another time where we have to change divisions yet again and lose local derbys!

Edited May 4, 2010 by Andrew S

[Mark44]

that div 1 north league looks more winnable than the original.

 

My hope id they create the midlands league at step 3 and we go up anyway

[Matt]

Rothwell have withdrawn from the Zamaretto League, and Bromsgrove are still in administration and likely to move down a level or two. Similarly, Merthyr are still in administration, so this will change things a bit. No doubt in my mind that Barton at least will get a reprieve.

[Bernie Gogan]

Can someone explain why Uxbridge are always placed in the South & West Div? They have to be as far North but nowhere near as West as Slough, Burnham, BSYCOB.

[romulus]

Heard a whisper that there is a planned rejig of Step 4 leagues for next season, not usre how true it is but if I hear owt I'll whack it on here.

[Mark44]

I heard that one too romulus but apparently there is also a rumour about an alliance premier starting up making 4 step 3 leagues.

[Chris]

I hope they to a North & South division. Makes much more sense. For example most of the teams now playing in the 'Midlands' league are nowhere near the midlands!! The 'Midlands' play-off final this year was between Chesham and Slough - hardly seems right!

Edited May 5, 2010 by Chris

[BFR]

Looks like Rothwell will withdraw from Southern Leauge.

 

Swindon Supermarine could be in a bit of trouble too according to reports.

[romulus]

King Tut they have resigned, Barton will be reprieved.

 

As for Swindon, spoke with a few of their fans who came along to our youth final there on Monday, there was no mention of any problems. Merthyr will resign and fold- reform lower. This reprieves Tiverton in the Prem.

 

As for Bromsgrove, no one seems to know what's happening there, knowing their "former"... ahem... "chairman" as I do I think they'll at least begin the season, where I don't know as it's strongly suggested the Council won't be renewing their tenancy.

[Mark44]

Hmmm would this mean that Hemel would survive. I think Slough should play Bridgwater to go up instead as we were losing finalists

[Tom]

This will sound hypocritical since Slough benefited from a reprieve a couple of years back, but I've never understood the reason for keeping a team in a league when they should have been relegated.

 

Surely a team finishing in a top position in the league below should be promoted in their place. Although how you choose who should take their place is difficult - a losing play-off finalist or who has finished highest and not qualified.

[romulus]

For Hemel to be reprieved there would have to be a direct resignation from the Southern Premier, any knock on resignations from Blue Square etc would be done on Points Per Game across the 3 step three divisions, several Ryman teams being first in the queue.

 

Step 4-5 promotion/relegation is even worse, 14 Step 5 divisions with 12 places available. You can potentially win the title and not go up while dependent on resignations (ie Brigg in the Unibond One South last year) can finish on less than 20 points and stay up. Joke.

 

Rudy Funk, a step 5 manager up north said Step 5 needs play-off's to survive as there are so many pointless games from march onwards, he's right. Step 4 needs 3 down to get rid of the dross, there are some poor poor sides at our level.

Edited May 6, 2010 by romulus

[dansilk]

This will sound hypocritical since Slough benefited from a reprieve a couple of years back, but I've never understood the reason for keeping a team in a league when they should have been relegated.

 

Surely a team finishing in a top position in the league below should be promoted in their place. Although how you choose who should take their place is difficult - a losing play-off finalist or who has finished highest and not qualified.

 

I certainly don't think staying up in this way did Bracknell any favours this year. They get relegated anyway this year and really need the chance to regroup, I think they might have been spared a lot of pain if they'd gone down straight away instead. Can't blame any team for staying up, though, given the chance!

 

But I agree, choosing the promoted team is harder. Maybe a play-off between the team which would have been relegated and their putative replacements (highest-placed non-promoted team, I think, since this is on league positions)?

[Reading Rebel]

Can someone explain why Uxbridge are always placed in the South & West Div? They have to be as far North but nowhere near as West as Slough, Burnham, BSYCOB.

 

 

I think it's to do with Motorway links. Thats why in this league rejig I think they could well stick Burnham in the south and west.